Vehicle safety and efficiency are concerns for any vehicle operator. Safety is important for the operator of a vehicle, for the passengers in the vehicle, and for others that share the road with the vehicle. Safe vehicle operation also may reduce vehicle repair costs and downtime. Efficiency also is important for the vehicle operator and the vehicle owner. Efficient vehicle operation may reduce operating and maintenance costs associated with a vehicle, thereby improving profit margins for a business that operates vehicles. Components that contribute to both vehicle safety and efficiency include axle components and drive train components. Axle components include wheels, wheel hubs, pneumatic tires, suspension components, braking components, and the like. Drive train components include a vehicle engine and components that transfer power from the engine to the drive wheels of the vehicle.
Proper maintenance of the vehicle is important to safe and efficient operation of the vehicle. Proper maintenance includes proper lubricant fluid levels, proper replacement of fluids, proper tire pressures, and the like. In the case of a pneumatic tire, for example, improper air pressure in the tire can reduce safety due to an increased likelihood of a failure of the tire due to increased heating and/or increased or uneven tread wear. Improper air pressure can also increase costs associated with operating the vehicle due to reduced life of the tire, thereby increasing replacement costs, and also increased rolling friction that reduces fuel economy of the vehicle and increases fuel costs. Similarly, if a lubricant fluid level is low or if the lubricant has become contaminated or broken down, continued operation of the vehicle may result in costly repairs and reduced fuel economy. Tire pressure and lubricating fluid level are but two examples of vehicle components that may influence vehicle safety and efficiency.
Accordingly, an important aspect with respect to operating any vehicle is the proper maintenance of various components to ensure proper vehicle performance. In the case of an entity that operates a number of different vehicles, such as a trucking company, such maintenance is particularly important to ensure that costs associated with vehicle operation are not unnecessarily increased. However, in many cases the volume of maintenance checks and the time required to perform such checks, coupled with shipping and delivery deadline pressures, results in such checks being performed less often than is ideal. Additionally, the value of maintenance checks to confirm proper vehicle conditions offset some of the benefits of properly maintained vehicles due to the costs associated with performing such checks. Furthermore, in many cases sensors may be coupled to a trailer that is parked in a lot with a number of other trailers, further increasing the number of and time required for checking the status of various components.